“A collection of profound and epic album reviews and musical articles by former astronaut and brain surgeon, Alasdair Kennedy. Reaching levels of poetry that rival Keats and Blake, the following reviews affirm Alasdair to be a prodigy, a genius and a god whose opinion is always objectively right. He is also without a doubt the most modest man in the universe.” - Alasdair Kennedy

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Friday, 29 April 2016

BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE WEEK 29/04/2016: DJ Shadow, Jammz, The 1975 and more...

This week I bring you new music without exploiting Prince's death or giving Beyonce any more unneeded publicity...

THE BEST:

'Punch drunk sober' – Throws

Formed whilst on an escapade to Iceland (the country, not the supermarket), Throws is the new project from ex-Tuung members Mike Lindsay and Sam Genders. This first taster of their upcoming album is an intoxicating cocktail of indie rock, synthpop and Bowie-esque madness sure to leave you thirsty for more. Punch-drunk sober? More like punch-drunk-superb! (whoah ... was that supposed to be a pun? Because that was punch-drunk-stupid...)

'Eat Shiitake mushrooms' - Let's Eat Grandma

This isn’t an instrumental track. The alt-pop duo just like
to tease, the long twinkling build-up eventually bursting into a dance beat
that finally makes way for the UK group’s chirpy vocals. It’s hypnotically
suspenseful. If it weren’t for the highly unsettling band name, I might even think
that Let's Eat Grandma were kinda cute-sounding. As it stands, I can't quite trust the sweetness, break constantly expecting them to break into black metal or something equally terrifying.

'Nobody Speak' - DJ Shadow & Run the Jewels

‘Picture this, I’m a
bag of dicks’ is the beautiful opening line from El-P. Yes, both him and
Killer Mike are at it again, now teaming up with the legendary DJ Shadow having finished rapping with cats. Overall, the pulsing beat and Run the Jewel's signature dose of rodomontade make for some serous badassery that I can see boxers entering the ring to.

'Steamer' - Virus

Ominously dissonant riffage and tempestuous percussion make up this menacing metal maelstrom, somehow made more chilling by the clean vocals of the top delivered like carefully calculated psychopath talking to himself in his basement. There's even some spooky theremin to add to the theatrical horror vibe. When asked to explain the track by Decibel magazine, vocalist/guitarist Czral gave this bizarre explanation: 'a tribute to extinct instincts and Chernobyl Wildlife'.

'Serious Issues' –
Jammz

Too much of today’s grime isn’t really grimy at all – the production's more polished than a policeman's shoes. It’s therefore good to see Jammz dishevelling things up, jumping on
a raw and gritty beat, rapping so passionately and speedily he’s barely able to
stay with the rhythm. The track comes straight off his new mixtape Underdog Season which is out now.

THE WORST:

'A Change of Heart' - The 1975

Straight off their new album, I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are so Beautiful, and This Album Title is Creepy and Long-winded (may have misquoted that!), this new single hasn't got much going for it. There’s not a hook or interesting feature in sight other than the annoying synth lead. It kind of sounds like Savage Garden with all colour drained out. I hated this song when I first heard it on the record and haven’t had a change of heart since.